https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded
Goodreads Summary: “Fifty years ago The Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society.
To punish the guilty, he created the Hole, a place where sinners are branded according to their sins. Sinners are forced to live a less than human existence in deplorable conditions, under the watchful eye of guards who are ready to kill anyone who steps out of line.
Now, LUST wraps around my neck like thick, blue fingers, threatening to choke the life out of me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and the Hole is my new home.
Constant darkness.
Brutal and savage violence.
Excruciating pain.
Every day is a fight for survival.
But I won’t let them win. I will not die in the Hole.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.”
This is an amazing dystopian read that will leave you begging for more! It’s fast paced, exciting with an heart pounding romance that will make you fall in love with this mystical dark world!
Branded is an action-packed read that’s virtually impossible to put down once started. The characters are amazing, so well-written that I fell in love with them (even the ones I hated). This novel concentrates on the people and how they cope with their hopeless lives. It’s the characters that make this novel good. The main character, Lexi, in the beginning is sort of annoying but through the course of the book suffers some major character development.
Lexi and Cole are both fantastic characters. I fell in love with both of them immediately. Since the novel is told from Lexi’s point of view, we know what’s in her mind, her thoughts and feelings. It seems so real that is, almost, as if you are really living that moment yourself. I enjoyed the way her story was drawn out. We know from the beginning that she’s innocent of her crime, but not her entire backstory. When it’s all revealed, it’s a doozie. What we don’t learn much about is Cole’s backstory. Which I hope to find out more in the next book.
Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki have brought a unique concept in the Dysoptian genre with Branded. The moment I started reading Branded I was sucked into this world, and I couldn’t put this book down. I was surprised more than once with the revelations of each character and I was even more surprised with the revelation of the identity of the commander. I found myself cringing at some of the graphic violence because it was that easy to visualize it. I felt that I was inside the story with Lexi and Cole in the Hole. I can’t wait to read the second book in this series!
Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki is by far my favorite Dystopian read and has sit the standards for any other Dystopian book I read in the future…